Nos Da Cariad
by Poisoned Scarlet
Summary: AU! Here's the thing about being an event coordinator: in the end, you'll always be just that…an event coordinator – In which Maka Albarn takes planning Prom Night into her own hands, with unexpected results.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Soul Eater.

**Nos Da Cariad  
>by. <strong>_Poisoned Scarlett_

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><p><em>Tuesday<em>

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><p>Being an event coordinator was no easy task, especially when it involved the biggest event of them all: Prom Night.<p>

It required a gross amount of time dedicated to simply planning the event: ordering all the necessary supplies, ensuring they did not fall behind schedule, ensuring whoever was helping was _actually _helping, ensuring they did not go over their budget, etc.

"Yes, I ordered six dozen balloons from you on the first but I only received three dozen. I'm short another three and I need them here by Thursday." Maka Albarn spoke into the phone, wiping away a sheen of sweat. The classroom was stifling hot, the halls even hotter. She could feel trickles of sweat run down her back as she paced. "Friday? I'm sorry, but that's too late. I _need_ them here by Thursday!"

"What about tomorrow?" Kid asked, lowly. He watched her bit her lip in indecision before taking his suggestion. Wednesday was already packed with other things – like cleaning up the school, ensuring all other orders had been carried out successfully, fixing up the gymnasium and football field so it would be presentable by tomorrow evening. But they were not excused from their classes – or homework, for the matter – so Maka's schedule would be bursting at the seams with this new order.

"Okay – tomorrow at three? Perfect! Thank you!" Maka slammed the phone down on the receiver with a heavy sigh. "Tomorrow at three. We have a meeting with the Headmaster at _three, _Kid, and if we don't make it - or if we're _late_ – our chances of having that band preforming are slim to nothing! We promised everyone we'd get that band!"

"I'm sure father—the _Headmaster_," Kid corrected himself instantly, "wouldn't deny us the chance of rejecting the invitation of that band. There isn't much time left to discuss the matter as it is."

"The Headmaster didn't want them here in the first place, remember, Kid?" Maka sighed. "He said things would get too rowdy and out of control… and he's _right_. We can't prevent everything from spiraling out of control if a couple of no-good jerks decide to start something while they're playing."

"Of course we can't stop any mayhem they might conceive." Kid agreed, sending her a reassuring smile. "But we can _try_, and the Headmaster will see that our efforts do not go in vain. He did say we'd have top-notch security to ensure no… _undesired guests _arrive."

"That's true." Maka murmured, knowing last years prom night had been a total bust. She hadn't been in charge of coordinating the event, as she had been a Junior, but the prom had gone down in flames (though most would fiercely beg a differ) when students from other schools crashed it. Needless to say, when she'd volunteered to clean the mess up, Maka had tread over total destruction.

Surprisingly, she'd found: empty beer cans, broken glass bottles, torn up streamers, balloons, table cloths, stomped flowers, vases – all strewn on the floor, the field, the halls. She even found a random dress shoe near the goal line by the football field. Kid had said he'd found other things he'd rather not speak about, having been the poor soul who'd been assigned to clean up the restrooms.

"Well, lets hope we can keep this years prom under control for the sake of next years Seniors." Maka winced, recalling the speech their Headmaster had given a few weeks back. The entire auditorium had been stunned into silence by the dangerous tone their usually chipper and jubilant Headmaster donned. His warning had been clear: nothing could go wrong this year or else. "So, who are you planning on going with, Kid?"

"I wasn't planning on taking anyone, actually." Kid said, casually. "I wouldn't have minded us going together as friends, along with Ox and Harvar. But I received an invitation from a girl earlier today…"

Maka wasn't as surprised as Kid expected her to be, mainly because Kid was ignorant to his own handsomeness due to the three white stripes that ran horizontally on his hair. A genetic defect, Kid had fervently told her when they first met, he was a _mutant_ for those damnable stripes! But Maka had later discovered they bothered him so much because of his compulsive tendencies, visible whenever he entered a room and immediately began to tidy the place up.

Regardless of his appearance, Kid simply spent most of his time indoors, in the library, or taking care of other school needs. He coordinated events with her but, being Senior President, he overlooked nearly all aspects of the school. He was always seen in class but hardly anywhere else, along with Maka, Ox and Harvar.

"Really? Who was it?" Maka asked, excitedly.

"Elizabeth Thompson." Kid answered, and Maka's smile faltered a little.

Elizabeth and Patricia Thompson – going as Liz, Patty or the Thompson sisters – weren't a bad group of girls, truth be told. They were just very rowdy and _wild;_ friends with the worst their school had to offer. Although, from what Maka could gather from her encounters with the sisters, they were very friendly even though their friends were less than so.

"That's what I thought, too." Kid sighed, reading the unease on Maka's face. "But she insisted, and she looked sincere about it. I decided to accept. After all, I'll merely be accompanying her to a dance. Nothing more."

"Not just _any_ dance, Kid." Maka giggled, stacking papers with a bounce in her step. She grabbed her bag from beside the teachers desk, slinging it over her shoulder. "It's _prom_! The biggest night for Seniors! It practically marks the end of high school for us!"

"It's just another dance." Kid dismissed.

"Well, you know what they say about prom," Maka chimed, brightly. "Anything can happen!"

Kid sent her an amused smile, also picking up his backpack. "I'd get to practice now, if I were you. You'll be late and you know how Coach Nygus feels about that."

Her shoulders slumped instantly. "I want to quit track and field – it's taking up too much of my time! I could be using that time to do other things! Sid told me earlier that we should get another ten bottles of soda. By the time practice ends, it'll be six. Then I have to get home and finish my homework! I can't carry ten bottles of soda to school by myself, Kid!"

"Good point: leave it to me." Kid decided.

"What? Are you sure…?"

"It's fine. I have a car, remember? I'll have ten bottles of soda brought to Sid first thing in the morning." Kid smiled softly at her. "If you need help, just _ask_, Maka. I'll always be here to help you."

"Thank you, Kid." Maka said with a grateful smile, following Kid out of the classroom. They locked it behind them, Maka handing Kid the keys he'd return to Professor Stein as he left school, and they both took their separate ways after biding each other goodbye.

And _there_ went her prom date, Maka thought with a nervous swallow. Although a little selfish, Maka had hoped no one would ask Kid out because then that meant they would be able to go together to prom as friends. Ox had managed to score a date with another girl – not his dream girl, Kim Diehl, who still refused to bat an eye in his direction – and Harvar had asked out Jackie with successful results.

It was only her now.

Maybe her position was jinxed, Maka gloomily thought.

Because the thing about being an event coordinator at _her_ school?

You always attended the event…

Alone.

* * *

><p><em>Wednesday<em>

* * *

><p>"<em>WHOOOO! TAKE IT OFF!"<em>

"Shut the fuck up, Black Star, we're gonna' get kicked out again!" His friend snapped.

"Who cares? TAKE IT OFF, TSUBAKI! HYHAHAHA!"

Maka shook her head in disgust as Black Star, the class clown, sprawled on the bleachers on the other side of the field, shouted obscenities at the cheerleaders who practiced in the middle of the football field. She could see Kim and Jackie place their hands on their hips in outrage at Black Star, who merely cackled and elbowed his partners in crime, Soul Evans and Kilik Rung.

Tsubaki Nakatsukasa, whom seemed to have some sort of _thing_ for Black Star, blushed a terrible red and turned her head to hide it. She brought her arms up to cross over her chest, as if _that_ would somehow hide the assets the spandex white shirt emphasized.

What Maka would give to have one clean shot at Black Star with her fist – she'd make sure he never yelled as loud as he could ever again.

It would certainly be a blessing to the world…

Maka tightened her ponytail, bending to take another long drink of water from the water fountain. She'd made an agreement with her Track and Field coach, Mira Nygus, to use her study period so that she may not miss a day of training. But using her study period to practice down by the field involved practicing with the cheerleaders, who were usually always surrounded by other students who ditched or had a free period as well. And, with prom night being arranged two weeks before school ended, mostly everyone was out of their classrooms and strolling about the school.

That meant having an audience.

And, although she competed in competitions and often ran in the busy streets of Death City, this particular audience made her hesitant and self-conscious of herself. Black Star always made fun of her, mainly her childish face, pigtails and – _of course_, that sick pervert – her 'below-acceptable', as he'd say, chest.

"Ah, Maka! Good, I caught you!" Nygus shouted, coming to a stop before her. "Those balloons you ordered came in and they need you to sign for them at the main office."

"What? They were supposed to come at three – it's barely two!" Maka squawked.

"Well, they're here, and they have other orders to carry out, so if you don't get there soon, they'll leave and you'll have to get them on Friday after all." Nygus thumbed behind her wryly.

"_But_ – oh, alright! Thanks for telling me, Coach!"

"I'll give you a day off today – how many laps you do?"

"Four."

"A mile – alright, good enough." Nygus nodded, satisfied. "Run on over there and sign for them then come back and change. The locker rooms are gonna' be open for a while, anyway."

"Okay – thank you so much, Coach!" Maka rushed, running across the field to reach the locker rooms, which would give way to a hall that led to the main building. She had always been a fast runner, so she wasn't surprised she reached the locker rooms in record time.

"—AKA!" Kim screamed.

Maka braked a stop and turned, finding Kim jogging to her.

"Kim?" Maka panted. "What is it?" She met her half-way, Kim smiling in relief.

"Wow, you run really fast! I almost thought I wouldn't catch you!" Kim laughed.

"I'm sorry, Kim, but can you make this quick? I have to go get something from the main office right now." Maka set her hands on her hips, catching her breath.

"Actually…" Kim mumbled, pink dusting her cheeks. "Okay, look, I'm gonna' be blunt about this: does Ox _actually_ have a date for prom?"

"Ox? Yeah, some girl called Anne. Why?" Maka asked, curiously, watching Kim's face sour. The answer came to Maka instantly. "I..if it makes you feel any better, Ox doesn't want to go with her. But since you shot him down so many times…"

"So _he_ asked her out?" Kim's brows shot up in disbelief.

"No! Anne asked Ox out!" Maka hastily amended. "Or so he tells me. But I believe him: Anne has had a crush on him for a while now. And when you shot him down so many times, she took advantage of that and made her own move."

"Well…" Kim puffed her cheeks out, hands fisted by her sides. "Tell Ox that if he – he wants to go with me… he better take me a good restaurant! An expensive one – and bring me roses, too! Or else I'll go with Soul!"

"Soul?" Maka repeated uneasily, glancing behind her quickly to see Soul Evans lazily gazing at the sky. "He asked you out…?" The idea made her feel a little weird but she shook it off. It was ridiculous to feel bothered: the most they spoke was during their Trigonometry class, and that was because he needed help understanding the material. She sometimes saw him outside of school, sure, and he always came over to greet her, but that was the limit to their interaction…

Kim pursed her lips. "_No_, but out of all the other idiots here, Soul's the best choice."

"Wait, so _you're_ going to ask _Soul_ out?" Maka blinked, trying to piece together this girls haphazard logic.

"Yeah!" Kim answered, simply. "He hasn't asked anyone yet. Kilik already has a date and Black Star's going to ask Tsubaki today or something. So there's only Soul left." Her lips curled into a saucy grin. "Plus, Soul's _rich,_ so I wouldn't mind hooking up with him in prom, either."

It didn't settle well with her that Kim would only date Soul for his money but the girl had always been greedy, especially when it came to those green bucks. Ox had once let it slide that Kim would date him if he had enough cash, something which she and Kid had fervently told him to forget about: a girl who only wanted you for how thick your wallet is was toxic. But Ox had continued his sometimes pathetic attempts at romancing her to no avail.

Until now, apparently.

"Why _do _you want to go with Ox all of a sudden?" Maka demanded, crossing her arms over her chest. The balloons could wait: this was her friend Kim was talking about. Ox may be mean and obnoxious sometimes but he was still a good friend to her when she needed him to be. "Ox isn't rich, Kim. He can't buy you everything you want when you want it – Ox is willing to offer you _one_ thing and it's not what's tucked inside his wallet. What are you willing to offer him in return?"

Kim's smile fell off her face and she looked down, nervous and troubled. She hesitantly looked over her shoulder – to the other girls who laughed with one another as they waited on her. Kim bit her lip and stepped closer to Maka, hissing: "What I tell you goes to _grave_ with you, got it?"

Maka nodded, wide-eyed.

"I…I do like Ox." Kim confessed meekly, swallowing. Her cheeks looked flush, as if she had run around the track twice without stopping. "I _really_ do, it's just…_well_…"

"Your friends? Your image?" Maka offered.

Kim looked guilty.

"Kim, unless you're willing to sacrifice your image for Ox, this isn't going to work. Ox _really _likes you, and I'm not about to tell him this only to have you hurt him in the end. You'll crush him if you dump him because your friends say he's not good enough for you – only _you_ know what's good enough for you." Maka said softly, watching an array of muddled emotions flicker in her eyes. "Only you can decide what makes you happy. No one else."

Kim nodded slowly, shoulders slumping. "Yeah, I know...Thanks for hearing me out, Maka!"

Maka watched her hurry back to her team, pasting on a smile when Tsubaki asked her what was wrong. Maka looked further up to the bleachers, finding Soul looking back. There was a laziness to every blink as he watched her watch him. After a few seconds of holding his stare, Maka smiled in greeting.

Soul arched a brow but quirked the corner of his lip in his trademark lazy grin in reply. Satisfied, Maka turned on her heel and ran – rushing to the main office and praying to all that was holy that the delivery man was still there.

* * *

><p><em>Thursday.<em>

* * *

><p>"I'm <em>so<em> sorry!" Maka bowed her head at Kid that morning, who sighed as he finished placing a bag of soda on the floor by his feet. They would be placed in the storage room and taken out tomorrow, Friday, once they had set out the tables and decorated them out by the gymnasium. Friday there would be no school so those volunteering to help set up for Prom – a good twenty six of them – would be arriving early morning to set up.

"So the balloons will have to wait until tomorrow, huh?" Kid mused. "What held you up again?"

"Kim – she was asking me about Ox. She basically wanted me to tell Ox to dump Anne so they could go together after all."

"Then she is sadly mistaken." Kid deadpanned. "Ox has actually taken a small liking to Anne, in my opinion. He isn't ignoring her in the halls anymore."

"But Kim looks like she _really_ likes Ox." Maka countered, hopeful. "It's just her image that's preventing her from dating him, which is already really shallow on her part and not helping her case at all. But…I have faith in her. I think she'll sacrifice her image for Ox!"

"You're too kind." Kid chuckled, reaching over to pat her head. Maka took a step back when Kid stepped a little too close. "But I suppose that's what I like the best about you."

Maka smiled back, hesitantly. Kid's hand remained on top of her head, his expression contemplative. Maka didn't like how thick and silent the atmosphere had become. It was early morning and there was hardly any one at school. They still had a whole half hour before class began. It was too early to feel as if her heart was beating out of her chest in panic, and far too early for Kid to look like he was regretting something.

"Whoa, am I interrupting something?"

Maka flinched away from Kid, turning to find Soul leaning on the doorway casually.

"You – what are you doing here, Soul?" Maka demanded, shaking off her nerves and Kid's dark look. "Do you need something?"

"Yeah." Soul drawled, taking out a slip from his pocket. "Sid asked me to give you this."

Maka took the paper from his hand, unfolding it and quickly skimming its contents. Her brows furrowed and she immediately turned to Kid, who was still frowning at Soul. "Sid wants you to bring the sodas. Now."

"_Now?_" Kid asked, in disbelief. She saw his eyes dart to Soul. "Can't it wait?"

"Nope. He wants it now, Kid." Maka rolled her eyes, walking over to the desk. She picked up a binder, crossing out another line in their list. "You have to take them sometime, it might as well be now. And Sid's in charge of the PE Final with Nygus so he won't be there to open the storage room for you during class hours."

Kid heaved a sigh. "I see, well… how about you accompany me, then?"

Maka looked up in mild surprise. Since when did Kid need someone to walk him over to the storage room? Before she could answer, Soul did it for her:

"Need someone to hold your hand?" Soul jeered.

"_I_ need someone to help me carry these bags there." Kid replied, frostily.

"You can do it yourself. There's like five, don't tell me that's too much for you?"

"I'd rather not have the bags rip on my way over there."

Soul scoffed. "They won't rip – you double-bagged them, genius."

"Kid, just take the bags." Maka interrupted, annoyed by their bickering. Honestly, Maka knew Kid had never liked Soul – ever since he'd carried her to the nurses office when she sprained her ankle during a competition – but there was no reason for him to treat him badly. Soul had been sitting in the bleachers, watching the competition, and the fact that he'd recognized her struggling to stand – and going as far as running to _help_ her – should be something Kid should be thankful for! Not many people would be as kind as to do that for a person, after all. "He's right – there's only five and you brought them here by yourself. I think you can go to the storage room and drop them off without me."

She missed Soul's triumphant smirk.

Kid looked torn but took the bags and left without another word spoken to either of them.

Maka reached into her pocket for her cellphone. She dialed in the number for the party supply company and waited, resting her elbows on the desk as she did. She hadn't slept well last night, with so many thoughts running amok in her head, and waking up so early and skipping breakfast to arrive to school on time wasn't helping.

He papa had been passed out on the couch – not drunk, thankfully – and waking him up so he could take her to school made her begrudgingly guilty. And it wasn't as if she couldn't go by herself: she had two strong, functioning, legs! She didn't need her drunkard papa to take her to school every morning, even _if_ he was working on the drunkard part by going to those AA meetings every Friday…

"…tomorrow midday? That's perfect! Thank you! Have a nice day!" Maka grinned, hanging up. She jotted it down in the binder and turned and nearly stumbled back in shock.

Soul _still _stood there, leaning against the doorway as she had last seen him ten minutes ago. Kid wasn't back, probably held up by Sid. But what was Soul still doing here?

"Do you need something else?" Maka asked, clutching the red binder to her chest. "Soul?"

"Yeah. I do, actually." Soul replied, after a few moments. His boots echoed through the lecture hall. The golden sunlight that spilled through the tall windows that lined the wall caused his stark white hair to glow an even brighter white.

Soul Evans was a total enigma to her; someone different both in physical appearance and attitude.

His eyes looked dark, almost black, but she knew they were really red. They were a beautiful color, almost as deep and bright as recently trimmed roses. But despite his bleach white hair and garnet eyes, his skin was a healthy tan. As if to further take his already-intimidating profile, he fell into the habit of donning a thick leather jacket with black jeans and steel-toed boots to finish his look. She didn't mind the look as much as Kid did: she had a leather jacket herself, although she never wore it to school.

It technically went against the uniform policy…

But Soul still wore his, along with his heavy boots, in silent rebellion.

"Well, any time now would be nice." Maka scowled, dismissing the way the atmosphere had once again grown dense. "Class starts in ten minutes and I don't want to be late!"

Soul grinned. "Being late for once in your life won't kill you, y'know."

"It will if I have Stein next…" Maka muttered.

Soul cringed. "Okay, maybe it will. Fine, I'll be quick about it." Soul sighed. He stood at a respectable distance, hands jammed in his pockets. "Are you planning on going to prom?"

Maka was stunned for a moment. Something wrenched in her gut – a type of unexplainable excitement – as the atmosphere grew denser with every passing second. "Well, I helped plan it. So of course I'm going."

"Alone, right?"

Maka cringed. She glowered when she saw his smirk. "Yes. As of right now, _alone_. I was thinking about just going with my friends."

"With your friends?" His shoulders, which she just saw had been tense, relaxed the slightest bit. "That's pretty sad, Maka."

"What's your point, Soul?" Maka snapped, tapping her foot impatiently. "You're not here just to make fun of me, are you?" She added, seething. He'd made fun of her plenty of times before, like when she helped him with his classwork, and she would always threaten to stop helping him. He didn't seem to take the hint that she _really_ will – or maybe she should just not go back on her threats. She always ended up helping him after having him stare at her with such a kicked-puppy look on his face for longer than five minutes.

He knew the tricks to get her compassion to kick in only too well, Maka begrudged.

"C'mon, Maka, you know I'm just teasing you." Soul chuckled. He smirked. "'Sides, you _like_ the attention."

"I do _not_ like having you put me down at every turn you get!" Maka stomped her foot to make a point but he only scoffed.

"But you _still_ help me." He teased.

"Because you look so pathetic trying to do it yourself!" Maka sputtered, unable to help flushing harder when his smirk turned into a full-blown grin. "What are you grinning about?"

"Your face is red."

"_SOUL!_ YOU BETTER—!"

"Maka, you're needed at the Headmaster's office immediately – Father wishes to discuss more of the band details." Kid panted, door slammed open.

Maka looked between Soul and Kid – both, of whom, were sneering horribly at each other.

"N-now?" Maka stammered, eyes lingering on Soul before shifting to Kid.

"_Yes_, _now_."

"But…" Maka hesitated, looking at Soul again.

Soul waved his hand at her. "Go see what the Head Cheese wants from you – I'll talk to you later." He held her eyes as he said this, giving her the impression that he really _will_ speak to her later. "I gotta' get to class, anyway."

"Right…" Maka trailed off, smiling tightly at both boys and hurrying out of the classroom with her bag clutched tightly to her side. What had that been all about? Kid looked as if he had run the entire way, surely whatever the Headmaster had to say was important. Kid wouldn't run all the way to the classroom for nothing.

But, more importantly, what had been Soul's deal? He'd watched her talk on the phone for nearly ten minutes, arranging the delivery of the balloons she'd neglected to sign for yesterday, and then he'd proceeded to make fun of her _again! _So what if she was going with her friends…who happened to all have dates?

Maka sighed, miserably. So maybe her situation _was _bad: Kid had a date, Ox had two girls after him, and Harvar had a date. She was the only one who was dateless. She'd been asked to prom twice within the past few weeks by two boys of whom she wanted nothing of – mainly because one was obnoxious and the other kept swallowing laughter as he asked her, indicating to her that his friends had set him up for it.

It seemed like this would be another event where she'd be hiding behind the curtains the entire time…

As it turned out, the Headmaster had been surprised when she arrived. Apparently, she could have dropped by his office _any time she wanted_. There was no rush: he'd just wanted to know some minor details about the band set to perform at the dance. They were just tiny things that could be easily discussed over a cup of coffee. Needless to say, when Maka came out a few minutes later, she was _not _pleased.

"What's the big deal, Kid?" Maka demanded during second period. She shared this class with Kid and Soul: the latter whom sat toward the back with Black Star, the former whom took seat beside her. "He said I could've gone _whenever I wanted!_ Stein nearly cut my throat when I walked in ten minutes after the bell!"

"Oh, really?" Kid deflected, calmly. "Sorry. I must have misheard."

"You're _so_ lucky Stein let me off the hook, Kid, or I would've killed you after he killed me!"

"How would you do that? It's physically impossible: you'd be dead."

"I'd find a way." Maka brooded for a moment. Then she smiled cheerfully: "I'd come back from the dead as a zombie!"

"The paranormal is for the weak-minded and those easily distracted, Maka, I thought we discussed this already." Kid chuckled when Maka bristled and slammed her pencil on the desk, sending him evil looks.

"Fine. Then I'll hire someone!"

"You'd be dead, though."

"I'll write a will – _right now!"_ Maka huffed, tearing off a sheet of paper. "In the case that I, Maka Albarn, were to die of unknown circumstances, Kid Death is to know his own demise in the hands of…" Maka paused, stumped. She didn't know any one by name who did killing contracts, she thought dryly.

"Of…?" Kid prompted, more than a little amused.

"Soul Evans." Another voice interjected, causing Kid to stiffen up.

Maka looked behind her to find Soul had moved to the empty desk directly behind of Kid. He grinned at her and Maka brightened, returning to her crummy will.

"That's a great idea – but you better do it, Soul, or else!" Maka warned.

"Or else _what?_" He snorted.

She said the first thing that came to her mind: "I'll haunt you!" And immediately thought she'd lay off the horror novels for a few weeks…

"That's alright – I wouldn't mind having your soul following me around until I die." He shot her a cheeky grin when her cheeks pinked a little. "That'd be pretty cool—!"

"Soul, shouldn't you be with your friend? Completing the classwork?" Kid interrupted, coldly.

"It's done, for your information." Soul replied, just as cold.

"Really?" Maka gasped in awe.

Soul scowled at her shock. "Just because I have a crappy grade in this class doesn't mean I'm stupid, Maka."

"Funny, because it usually gives that indication." Kid remarked.

"Well, _Kid_." Soul sneered. "I'm not. And it'd do you some good to understand that before you underestimate me."

Kid's eyes darkened. "You—!"

"Hey!" Maka exclaimed in alarm, grabbing Kid's shoulder when he made to stand. She looked at Soul, his snarl of dislike and the way his eyes sparked dangerously. "What's up with you two? You've been at each others throats since this morning! Kid – stop it before you do something you regret! Soul, you, too!"

"I wouldn't regret this." Soul hissed.

"Neither would I." Kid agreed with equal hostility.

"_Stop it!"_ Maka hissed, grabbing Soul's forearm when he began to stand, too. She was basically stretched out between them, her chair screeched back, both of her hands grabbing one of them to keep them still. It was an awkward position: she was lucky the teacher was distracted with a struggling student to notice the potential brawl.

She held Soul's burning look bravely and relaxed her grip when she saw his rage ebb to a simmer. He sat back down and she let go of his arm, looking back at Kid to find him staring at her strangely. "What's wrong, Kid?" She asked with worry, allowing her hand to fall off his shoulder as well.

"Nothing." Kid replied, tone clipped. He looked back forward, confusing her further. "Nothing at all…"

Maka glanced at Soul, who sat back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest; glaring daggers at the back of Kid's head. Her eyes darted behind him when she caught a flash of blue, finding Black Star watching them all with that same shit eating grin plastered on his face. There was a knowing glint in his eyes that upset her.

And a few seats to the side of Black Star, Liz Thompson sat with a friend. And the look she wore only made Maka's stomach fall to her ankles because it was _not_ pretty. The last thing she wanted was to have an angry Thompson after her. Maka was still a little vague on the reasons for her anger but, as Soul and Kid both stewed in their own furious thoughts, deep down, Maka knew _exactly_ why this situation was so dangerous.

She glanced down at her work, realizing she still needed a few more questions on her worksheet.

And she _still_ needed to set up for prom.

The next few hours would be hellish, Maka miserably thought, and started on her classwork.

* * *

><p>She didn't get Kid.<p>

She thought she knew him but it turned out she only knew a fraction of who he truly was.

Maka rounded another corner, heading to the school that began to unravel in the distance. Sweat trickled down her neck, her gym shirt sticky on her thin body. She would be finished with her training for the day after this and then she would go home and relax; all the planning for the day done until tomorrow, when she would wake up nice and early to prepare everything for prom. The teachers had been merciful enough not to leave homework, save for Stein, who assigned a reading, but Maka had already read that chapter weeks before so she was essentially free for the evening.

The only thing that ruined her otherwise peaceful night was Kid.

"_He's bad news, Maka, and you know this." Kid shouted, fiercely. "He's been suspended, nearly expelled! I'm surprised he's lasted so long in this school after all he's done with that idiot Black Star!"_

"_Kid, you know that half the time it's __not__ Soul's fault!" Maka defended him. "Everyone just assumes he's at fault, too, because he's friends with Black Star! That's why he never got expelled – he wasn't __involved__ in that fight, Kid! He was in class with us and you know it!"_

"_Regardless, he's a delinquent and you'd be a fool to trust him!"_

"_Are you calling me a fool, Kid?" Maka asked, dangerously._

_Kid pressed his lips together. "No. But you will be if you believe even for a second that Soul genuinely cares for you."_

"_What does that have to do with anything? If this is about prom again then if he asks, WHY NOT?" Maka snapped, losing her patience with him. "You're going with Liz! She's just as much bad news as Soul is – if not more, because all of the times she's been caught in a fight or ditching, it's __legit__!"_

"_This has nothing to do with prom!" Kid shouted back._

"_Then WHAT'S your point, Kid?" Maka asked, exasperated. "You're always bringing back prom into the conversation. If prom really has nothing to do with this… __why__ are you telling me all of this? I don't understand."_

"_I'm tell you all this because…" Kid breathed out slowly, collecting his thoughts. "…I'm worried about you, Maka. You're going to graduate in a few days and you cannot let yourself be derailed by some delinquent."_

"_He's graduating, too." Maka reminded._

"_Fluke." Kid bitterly said._

_Maka set her jaw and reigned in her growing rage for her close friend. Kid was being difficult; he was going around what he truly wanted to tell her and it aggravated her. She didn't like beating around the bush about this sort of thing. _

"_Kid. What's the __real__ reason you don't want me to have anything with Soul?" Maka demanded, coldly. "Don't lie to me. I'll know if you are."_

_Kid stared at her. His gold eyes were dark, his fingers digging into the wood of the desk he leaned on. She had her bag slung over her shoulder, already by the doorway and ready to leave to the field for her Track and Field training. He was holding her up but she had no problem waiting another hour to hear his response._

"_I care about you, Maka." Kid finally said. "That's why I'm doing this."_

"_I care about you, too, Kid, but you don't see me trying to keep you away from Liz." Maka strangled out, the atmosphere thickening again. "So why are you doing this to me…?"_

"_Because I care more than you think I do."_

It was a loaded sentence; filled with all sorts of meanings that terrified her. She had left before she could even reply, running all the way to the locker room and changing into her gym clothes hastily. She had immediately begun her training, skipping her warm ups. She didn't want to stay within school grounds any longer.

She hadn't been able to meet Soul's eyes when she ran past the bleachers and toward the back gates of the school and she still regretted that. She was acting like a child, running away from her problems…

She cared for Kid.

She _really_ did.

But she feared she didn't care for him quite like how he seemed to care for her.

Maka eased her run to a slow jog, head down to the schools back gate. She looked up, toward the bleachers, and found no one. That made her heart plummet and she was disgusted to find it picked itself up when she found Soul standing by the water fountain near the locker rooms with Kim.

But the sight made her heart fall to the floor again, even farther if possible.

Ox was still going to prom with Anne.

Kim had no one else she'd approve of going with but Soul.

Prom was tomorrow.

It didn't take a genius to know just what Kim was doing with Soul alone.

Instead of entering the school gates, Maka continued forward and rounded the corner.

Today had been a very bad day.

That's what she blamed the tears that were collecting in the corner of her eyes on.

* * *

><p><em>Prom better be worth it. <em>Maka thought with a miserable sigh, walking through the school gates. The sun hung low on the horizon; burning orange with streaks of pink and blue. She would have to make it quick or face her fathers overdramatic blubbering of: _"I was so worried when you didn't come home at seven, Makaaa!", _which would inevitably end with one of them on the floor nursing a bruise and it certainly wouldn't be her.

The school was empty by now.

Kid always left by five.

The cheerleaders wrapped their practice up at six sharp.

Track and Field also ended at six, and anyone still within the school would be a teacher staying in for one reason or another or the Headmaster to take care of his own business.

So guess her surprise when, walking through the steel doors that would lead to the entrance of the locker room, she found Soul standing alongside the brick wall with his foot propped up; skimming through the library in his iPod idly.

"Soul?" Maka called out, surprised. His head snapped up and he pushed his headphones back on his head, letting them hang around his neck.

"_Finally!_ For a second there, I thought you'd left already." Soul grumped. "That was two hours, Maka."

"I don't usually run so much." Maka mumbled, taking a heavy step forward. "I just had a lot on my mind today."

Soul's expression was measured. "Bad day?"

Maka smiled weakly. "You can say that." She stopped before the locker room, turning back to him. "By the way, do you need something? The Coach should've left by now..."

"I was waiting for you." Soul stated, motioning inside the locker room. "Go do what you need to do. I'll wait for you here." And he went back to rummaging through his iPod, leaving Maka with a heavy weight in her gut. She silently entered the locker room, her mind racing with that it was he could want.

Kim had surely asked him to prom – what if he had rejected her? Maka thought, bewildered. The thought was outrageous: Kim was gorgeous with her soft pink locks of hair and fair skin and enviable body. But what, if for some damnable reason, that was _exactly_ what happened? And he was going to ask what Kid feared – for a reason she finally understood – he was going to ask? What then? Would she accept, tell him she'd think about it, or flat out reject him?

How _did_ she feel about Soul, anyway? She wouldn't lie: he was handsome – his strange, less than average, looks made him exotic and alluring. Not to mention whenever he smirked at her it made blood rush to her face, a reaction she dealt with by beating that smirk into the ground with one of her books.

Maka came out of the showers too quickly for her tastes, towel drying herself and slipping back into her normal clothes. She towel dried her hair, not bothering to fold her towel as usual. She threw it inside her locker and slammed the door shut, taking a breath before she remembered she forgot to take out her backpack. After battling with the combination for a second time, she finally retrieved her backpack and shut her locker closed. Only this time she felt worse than before, with that feeling of excitement mixing with fear and uncertainty.

She stood before the double doors of the locker room for a moment, taking a breath.

Here went nothing…

"You wanted to talk to me about something?" Maka asked, watching him startle out of his thoughts. He pulled his headphones off his ears, the faint sound of trumpets and saxophones filling the silence that developed between them. The music was shut off when he unplugged the jack from his iPod.

Maka wished he hadn't done that.

"Yeah, c'mon. The janitor just passed by telling me that the school's gonna' close in half an hour." Soul informed, motioning for her to follow him out. She did, making sure to put two feet of space between them. Once they reached outside, to the massive flight of stairs that led to an empty street, did Maka speak again:

"Alright, what's so important you waited nearly three hours for?" Maka asked, pushing her damp hair back when it blew into her face. This was one reason she liked keeping it up in pigtails. "I was supposed to be home twenty minutes ago," Maka grimaced, not eager to be squashed by her dramatic father, "so I'd get to it if I were you."

Soul slipped his hands in his jacket again, looking contemplative. "I'll give you a ride home if you want. But I want to get this right." Soul stubbornly said, still looking thoughtful.

"Get _what_ right?" Maka asked, purposely ignoring his first offer. She'd deal with that later – right now, she just wanted to know if Kid's fears had been empty or not, and if the butterflies in her stomach were justified. "Soul?"

"You should wear your hair down more often." Soul suddenly said, startling her. He no longer looked contemplative: just casual, almost _too_ much so. "You don't look like you're twelve like that."

Maka narrowed her eyes. "I'll wear my hair however I want to wear it, Soul."

He grinned. "Don't get so defensive. It was a compliment."

"It didn't sound like one." Maka muttered, crossing her arms over her chest. "Now stop stalling and say what you're going to say before I decide to leave." Maka threatened, watching his shoulders tense up again.

"Fine. Jeez, you need to loosen up." Soul forced a chuckle, jamming his hands deeper in his pockets. "I was just going to ask if you wanted to go to prom with me."

She felt … _happier_ than she thought she would. She successfully fought down a smile by furrowing her brows, punching back her excitement with confusion. The result was a weird expression that made Soul raise a brow.

"Didn't Kim ask you to prom?" Maka wheezed out after a few seconds of silence.

His eyes sharpened. "How do you know about that?"

_So she did ,_Maka thought but answered: "She told me a few days ago she would… and I also saw her talking to you by the water fountain. I was pretty sure you'd accept."

"Kim?" Soul repeated with a shrug. "She's okay but I'd rather go with someone who _won't _burn a hole in my wallet."

Maka giggled at that, missing how his shoulders instantly eased and his tight jaw loosened so his grin didn't seem as forced as before. "How do you know I won't burn a hole in your wallet?"

"Because you don't look like the type who'd take material over substance." Soul instantly replied, causing her smile to widen a little. "And if you did, you would've run Kid dry a _long_ time ago." Soul added, earning himself a look.

"I don't ask Kid for money! I have my own!" Maka defended herself, huffing.

"And _that's_ how I know you won't burn a hole in my wallet," Soul drawled. He shifted his weight. "Now… do you want to or not?" He asked, and for the first time she saw the tell-tale signs of nervousness in the way he shifted his weight every few seconds and he rubbed the back of his neck.

She wondered if anyone else had the luxury of watching Cool Guy Soul Evans look distinctly _uncool_.

"Okay." Maka accepted, smiling when he breathed out in relief. "But thanks to you, my dad is probably not going to let me go." Maka added grumpily, noticing the sky had become overrun by gloomy clouds. The sun had completely set, leaving nothing behind but a faint strip of what it used to be.

"I could give you a ride." Soul offered.

"I'm not getting on that thing." Maka deadpanned. It was no secret – given that he was the _only _one who had one – that Soul owned a motorcycle, which he drove to and from school every day without fault. She had once been walking home from school and he'd drove past, scaring the living daylights out of her when he revved the bike before he drove past her. She would still swear she caught echos of his laughter before he disappeared around a corner.

"Then how _else_ are you planning to get home?"

"Walking."

"How far do you live?"

"By Hook Avenue."

"That's at least a mile and a half!" He deadpanned.

"I can do it!" Maka insisted.

"Just come with me." Soul sighed. "I'll make sure you get there safe—stop making that face—and then your dad won't freak out so much. It's not cool to stand up your date, Maka." Soul added when he saw she wasn't budging.

That made her falter a little.

"I won't let you fall." Soul smiled when she looked a little more willing. "All you gotta' do is hold onto me. Quit being such a scardy cat – c'mon, before it gets any later." Soul grabbed her shoulder when she took one reluctant step forward and stopped. He ignored her feeble protests, leading her to where he parked his bike.

When Maka saw it, her nerve disappeared. There was no way she was getting on that: one accident and there went her leg, or life, and all of her hard work on planning the infernal prom night. But Soul mounted the bike easily enough, turning it on. He then turned to her, watching her stare at his bike with something close to nausea.

He grinned. She came off as tough but inside, she was still a girl. "Hurry up! I have to get home, too!"

"Ugh! Fine, but you better not pull anything funny!" Maka growled, marching forward bravely. She swung a leg over the bike, clutching his shoulder. She felt his hands grab hers and slide them down to his waist and she wasted no time holding on, telling herself she'd gone mad for actually agreeing to this.

"Do you at least have a helmet?"

"Helmet's are for chumps."

Kid would kill her if he found out she rode a motorcycle without wearing a helmet…

The thought of Kid made her gut knot up guiltily but the feeling was left behind in the dust when Soul pushed forward and drove down the street. The ride was relatively smooth, the only bother being her hair, which whipped around her with the wind. She told him the directions to her apartment whenever they paused on a light, glad they arrived to her home in record time and without losing a limb or two. She had a feeling he had gone slow for her comfort and she inwardly thanked him for that.

"See? You made it home all in one piece." Soul drawled, watching her stumble off his motorcycle.

"It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." Maka admitted, slowly. At his smug look, she added: "But I'm _not_ getting on it again until you buy a helmet! Your chances of living should you wreck increase by fifty percent if you wear a helmet!"

"Stow your facts, Maka, we're not in school anymore."

"I'm just telling you in case you forgot." Maka said, irked. "I don't need my date _dying _on me because he thought wearing a helmet was uncool." She smartly added.

"Don't worry, Maka, I'll be here at six sharp even if I'm dead." Soul grinned.

"Not funny." Maka mumbled but smiled when he dismissed her claim and rested his arms on the handlebars of his motorcycle. Maka parted her lips to ask him a question regarding prom when she heard loud footfalls come from behind her. She turned, squinting at the metal door, and screamed when it was slammed open and her father appeared; panicked and oh-so relieved when he found his daughter clutching her chest, Soul grinning and forgotten in the background.

"Papa." Maka gasped, sending Soul the most withering look she could muster when he laughed harder. He seemed to _love_ it when she was scared half-way to death.

"_MAKA!"_ Spirit wailed, rushing to her. He crushed her to his chest, blubbering out: "Oh, my God! My baby is okay! Maka, I thought something _horrible_ happened to you when you didn't come back at seven! You don't know how scared papa was! I almost called the _police_—!"

"I told you I was going to come home late today!" Maka shouted, trying to pry him off her. "Papa, stop. You're crushing me!" She grunted, peering over his shoulder to find Soul's shaking with laughter at the scene. "Shut up, Soul! It's not funny!"

"You're right: it's_ hilarious!_" Soul cracked up again when Spirit suddenly turned, keeping Maka crushed protectively to his chest. The father narrowed his eyes dangerously, sizing him up.

"Maka, who's this punk and what does he want?"

"His name is Soul." Maka grunted, finally detaching herself from her dad. "He's my date for prom." She added broodingly and instantly regretted it when Spirit's chest swelled like a boar. "Papa, _no_..." She said, cautiously. "_NO!_" She squeaked, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him away from Soul, who watched with growing amusement and no intimidation. "I swear, if you hurt him, I'll hate you!" She threatened, which worked because Spirit sobered up immediately.

"As if he could hurt me." Soul snorted.

"Soul, don't encourage him!" Maka hissed, but it was too late.

"And just who the _hell_ do you think you are, octopus head?"

"Soul Evans, your daughters date to prom." He replied, smartly. "In case you didn't hear the first time. Being old and all."

"Why you—!" Spirit growled, making a strangling gesture since Maka held him back firmly. "You're lucky my Maka even gave you the time of day, you damn punk! If I were her, I would've sent you running the other way!"

"Psh, please." Soul scoffed. "As if I'd even go for someone like you: you'd make one ugly girl, man."

"YOU LITTLE FUCK, COME SAY THAT TO MY—!"

"SHUT UP, PAPA!" Maka screeched, reaching into her bag and drawing out a book. She slammed it on his skull, bringing him down in one fell swoop.

Soul whistled low, wide-eyed. "…You sick got him in the head. Is he alive?" He added, morbidly curious as Spirit twitched on the ground.

"Of course he's alive!" Maka blew a strand of hair out of her eyes. "What do you take me for? He's my papa!"

"That's cute – daddy's little girl til the end, huh?" Soul mocked, laughing when she stormed over and thwacked him on the head with her fist; pink dusting her cheeks.

Spirit groaned as he came too, woozily lifting his head off the pavement. He stopped dead, however, when he noticed his daughter and that no-good boy banter. What stopped him from jumping up and kicking that boy off the curb was Maka's laugh, which rang high and bright at whatever it was Soul had told her. There was also a softness to the boys eyes when he looked at her that convinced Spirit he would do her no harm. But it was still difficult to accept that his little girl was growing up and would soon depart for college and start her own _family_—!

"GET OUTTA' HERE BEFORE I BRING OUT MY SCYTHE—!"

"PAPA!"

Soul revved his bike, grinning out at Maka, who was being held behind Spirit against her will: "I'll pick you up at six!"

"Wait, Soul—!" Maka sighed when Spirit pointed down the street lividly; one word away from running over there and kicking the kid off his property himself. He didn't need to, thankfully: Soul left without another word to either of them, his laughter echoing in their ears.

Once Spirit was sure he was gone, he instantly sweetened. "Maka, darling, I saved you from the evil boy—ARGH—b-baby, you're hurting papa—_UGH!_"

That time she left him groaning on the floor as she stomped back up to her apartment.

* * *

><p><em>Friday<em>

* * *

><p>This was <em>not<em> how she envisioned the big day to go.

There shouldn't be _any_ of this today: it should all be good, happy, fun. The set-up should be going flawlessly; everything should be running like a well-oiled machine. The balloons had come in already and they were blowing them up, tying them into groups of four and fixing them into elaborate wraiths to be hung.

They would finish in an hour or two and then they would be sent home to prepare for prom.

And then all their hard work would pay off.

And although everything was right on schedule, there was one thing that wasn't, as she stared down Kid and he took the challenge in her eyes unflinchingly.

This was _not _how she envisioned the big day to go…

"Was everything I said to you yesterday forgotten, Maka?"

"What did you expect me to do? Reject him?" Maka hissed right back. "I actually _like_ Soul! And the fact that he waited so long for me afterschool just to ask me _one_ question means a lot to me, Kid, because not a lot of guys would do that!"

"So he waited for an hour – is that _all_ it takes for you to fall into his hand like putty?" Kid shook his head, morosely. "Maka, I _know_ you. You're going to get attached to him and when he dumps you, you'll be a emotional wreck. I will _not _stand to see you crying over him, Maka!"

"Why do you _always_ see the worst case scenario?" Maka cried. "Instead of being happy for me and hoping this would work out, you're practically damning me!"

"Because that's exactly what's going to happen, Maka: you two are _too different!_ How can you not see it? You told me once yourself!" Kid countered, fiercely.

"We may _dress _differently but Soul and I get along better than you think we do! If we hadn't, I wouldn't bother helping him all the time with his classwork!" Maka shouted. "Sure, he may be a little rough around the edges and he can get a little annoying, but that's _not_ a reason to not give him a chance, Kid! That's stupid!"

Kid pinched the bridge of his nose. "Maka. You're not seeing the big picture here."

"Yes, I am! I think _I'd_ know better than anyone around here just how – how _disgusting _ men can be!" Maka sneered. Kid set his teeth. She spoke of her father, whose philandering ways had earned him his daughters disdain and his wife's wedding ring thrown back at him. "And Soul isn't like that! I don't just speak to him when I'm in the classroom – I've seen him around outside, too, and he always comes to talk to me when I'm alone! He's not this stupid, playboy, guy you're envisioning, Kid! He's a _nice_ guy!"

"He's _nice_ to you a few times and you completely fall for him." Kid shook his head in disbelief. "He dated that Blair girl, for crying out loud! Her part-time job consisted of renting herself on the weekends!"

Maka flinched, remembering those two weeks all-too-well. It had been two weeks filled with chatter and gossip and jealous girls as they watched Soul walk alongside Blair. He'd nodded his head at her as he passed her in the hall, Blair clinging onto his arm with a giggly smile on her lips. Maka remembers it had left a bitter taste in her mouth. But the relationship had fallen apart in a matter of days: the instant Soul heard of her unfaithfulness, the relationship had been broken off and Blair had been sent crying to the bathroom when Liz and Patty finished off with her.

"That doesn't make him a bad person." Maka whispered, regaining her fire. "You can't tell me you wouldn't do the same if you had someone like _her_ throwing herself at you!" Maka snarled.

"I wouldn't." Kid said, seriously.

"You're so full of _shit_, Kid." Maka sneered, shoulders shaking with fury. She swallowed the thickness in her throat to say: "You're here arguing with me about not going to prom with Soul yet you're going with Liz. You don't even _want_ to go with her. That's cruel, going with her for no other reason than because she was there and you took the opportunity."

Kid stiffened. "I accepted Liz's invitation because she's a nice girl, despite all the controversy."

"That's _exactly_ why I said yes to Soul." Maka hung her head, angry tears collecting in her eyes. "So _what_ are you really trying to tell me, Kid?"

"Hey, Maka, Ox asked me to tell you…. Maka?" Soul's good mood was soured when he caught her watery eyes.

Maka stared, quickly wiping away her tears. "Soul…"

"How convenient." Kid sneered. "You're just the man I was looking for."

"Kid, you leave him out of this! This is between you and me!" Maka hissed, getting in front of him to divert his attention. It partially worked. "Soul has nothing to do with this anymore!"

"He has everything to do with this – _he's_ the reason we're fighting in the first place!" Kid insisted.

"No, the reason we're fighting is because _I was asked to prom and it wasn't you!_" Maka snarled, silencing him. "I don't know what's going on through your head right now but taking it out on me and the staff isn't going to solve anything! If you wanted to go with me," Maka continued, furiously, "then you should've _asked _me first!"

"You're not getting it. This isn't about that—it's just…" Kid struggled, unable to convey his thoughts properly.

"You wanted to take her. Not me." Soul cut in, flatly. "That's the message I'm getting, too, Kid."

"Stay out of it, you asymmetrical garbage!" Kid snapped.

"What the hell? You wanted me to be apart of it just a couple of seconds ago!" Soul sneered. "What's the difference now?"

"Kid, Soul—!" She was cut off when Kid unleashed a rather vicious jab at Soul, who replied just as fiercely. "Soul! KID!" Maka fisted her hands to her side, stung at being ignored by both. "FINE! I DON'T NEED THIS TODAY!" Maka screamed, turning heel and stomping away from both of them.

She slammed through the double doors of the gym, garnering looks from those who worked on setting up the interior. The beauty of the transformed gym was lost to her in her fury, trampling over some discarded roses. She slammed open the doors that led to the hall, too, and headed to the one place where she knew her rage would simmer down.

The library was as silent as usual and she walked down the first bookcase she saw. She weaved her path to the back without saying hello to the librarian this time. When she was sure the librarian couldn't see her anymore, Maka bit her lip and slammed her back against a bookcase lining the wall. Some books shook with the force, and pain shot down her spine, but she ignored it in an effort to withhold angry tears.

"Maka…?"

"What?" She snapped at Soul, as he approached her.

He stood beside her silently, glancing down at his shoes when she sniffed and roughly wiped away her tears. He spoke when she stopped sniffling: "Kid's just confused."

"Confused about _what?_" Maka asked, flatly. "There isn't anything to be confused about, Soul! He's being a dumbass."

"From what I can see… he's confused about _you_." Soul heaved a sigh when she turned her head slightly, telling him she was listening. "He doesn't know whether or not you mean something more to him. From what he told me, he's just trying to protect you from me because he thinks I'll hurt you, but I can tell there's something else that's getting to him. I think it's the fact that he's trying to so hard to keep you from me that's confusing him."

"Then he should stop." Maka mumbled. "Because it's not working, anyway. You're still here."

Soul smiled faintly. He placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing reassuringly. She leaned into his comforting touch. "He'll figure it out soon. Just give him some time to adjust to what's going on – and if he doesn't stop being a dick, I'll kick his ass, how about it?" Soul grinned, a small smile from her enough to clear the gloomy cloud that had settled over them. His fingers dared to reach over and take one of her pigtails softly, marveling the silk of each strand. "Just answer me this… _do_ you like Kid?"

"He's my friend." Maka replied, hoarsely.

"No, Maka. I mean, do you _like_ Kid?" Soul watched her reaction carefully.

"Not like that." Maka answered, shaking her head. She scrubbed her eyes of more tears. "But I don't want to _lose_ him because of it. He's like my best friend." More tears welled in her eyes, threatening to fall down her cheeks. "If he's gone, then who will I have left?"

"…Me."

Maka froze.

"You'll have me." Soul softly promised. Her emerald eyes shimmered brighter with her tears, he absently noted. It brought out such a darker color in them – made them look huge and tragic – that he covered her eyes up with his palm to avoid looking straight at them.

"Soul, what are you doing?" Maka sniffled, trying to pry his hand off her eyes.

"When you look at me like that, it makes me feel bad." Soul mumbled.

"Huh?"

"You look miserable." Soul sighed but didn't remove his hand from her eyes. "I hate it when girls cry. And you're the worst – your eyes get all…_big_ _and sad_…damn it, just don't do it anymore!" He snapped, dropping his hand. He made sure to look away before his heart swayed for her anymore. "Crying for that bastard isn't worth it. He'll come crawling back to you when his head clears, just watch."

Maka rubbed away more tears and watched his struggle not to glance at her. He stole a quick look before looking away again, heaving another groan of frustration. He really _didn't_ know how to handle a crying girl, Maka thought with a wobbly smile. The idea made her laugh softly, something Soul turned to look at.

Now her eyes looked better – brighter, _glowing_. The color lightened to a rich, twinkling, green unlike the dark, smudged, color they had taken when she was crying.

"You look better when you laugh." He mumbled, casting his eyes down with a hint of a smile on his lips. "You should do it more often."

Maka simply laughed.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **There _is_ a part two! Okay? I am on a mission...to stop writing so many one-shots! This is a reasonable start lol

This was actually a birthday present for my partner-in-crime Lacrow! He liked it, so I sincerely hope that you all do, too! :D He also got it all in one shot so you can imagine how either ecstatic or appalled he felt XD

Oh, and the title means 'Goodnight, love' :D Just for those of you that are curious..

_Scarlett._


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Soul Eater.

****Nos Da Cariad**  
>by. <strong>_Poisoned Scarlett._

"…and if he tries anything on you, use that technique I showed you!" Spirit fretted that evening, following his daughter around their apartment like a lost child. "And call me if things get out of hand, okay? I know how easily high school proms can grow out of hand, Maka, so if you need anything – _anything_ _at all_ – just call me and I'll be there right away! Okay, sweetheart?"

"Papa." Maka stopped, turning to him. She gripped his shoulders, giving him a stern look. "I'm going to be _fine_. Soul isn't going to let anything happen to me and he isn't going to take advantage of me, either."

"Is that was he told you?" Spirit accused. "Because it's all a lie! Don't fall for his _lies—!"_

She merely sighed and continued her way to her room, slamming the door in his face. While Spirit wailed self-righteously outside her door, Maka looked toward her vanity mirror. Her dress was strapless and simple, the bodice contouring to her curves elegantly. It was made of burgundy silk, tempting enough to want to run your hands over the material. Her hair was loose, as Soul had recommended, framing her face pleasantly. She wore strapping black heels to finish the assemble, applying minimal make up and deciding there was nothing else she could do with herself but wait for his arrival.

Kid hadn't spared a glance at her after she came back from the library. They avoided each other as they overlooked the prom scene. Maka was grateful Soul had lingered close beside her instead of leaving with his friends when he had the chance. His presence helped ease the weight in her chest and his light – sometimes stupid – conversation helped relieve unwanted thoughts from her mind.

At one point, Liz had walked in looking a bit troubled. She'd risen a weary brow at Soul but shook off the strange scene of him standing so close to Maka Albarn to speak to Kid. Although Maka hadn't wanted to, she looked and scrutinized her friends expression.

Softness, understanding, a shrug, a nod.

He looked sincere, Maka had agreed with herself.

Perhaps he wouldn't crush Liz with his indifferent ways after all.

Maka could only hope so.

"Maka..." Spirit knocked on her door, sullenly. "There's a kid here who says he's here to pick you up. I will not judge you if you tell me to beat him up and throw him in a ditch somewhere—!"

"I heard that, old man!" was faintly heard in the distance.

"Yes? No? Yes – I'll get right on it, baby!" Spirit cheerfully said, about to turn and kick Soul out of their living room with much gusto. But Maka kicked the door open and grabbed the back of his blazer before he could go any farther, placating him with a look worthy enough to kill.

"Papa, be nice!" Maka hissed into his ear. "And don't embarrass me again, please! That's all I'm asking from you tonight!" Maka pleaded, letting him go when she saw he wouldn't do anything reckless. She smoothed the dress down her hips, hoping she looked alright.

"You look beautiful, Maka." Spirit offered, smiling when she stole a look at him.

Thanking her father inwardly for the boost in confidence, Maka walked into the living room to find Soul gazing at a few framed photos of her younger self and her mother; before the crushing divorce of her parents. But she found herself admiring _him_ rather than his curious expression.

His suit was clean and simple; pinstriped with a dark red dress shirt matched with a black tie. His shoes shone under the light of the living room, polished and without a single scratch on them. His hair, so often kept back by a black headband, had been let loose; spiked back carefully so that his overgrown fringes wouldn't get in his face.

"You bring her back by _ten_, got it?" Spirit broke the silence.

"I'm coming back _later_, papa." Maka stated evenly, Soul swiveling to face them. "Around midnight later. It depends."

"M-midnight?" Spirit wheezed, horrified. "But that's practically _tomorrow!"_

"Relax, old man, I'll have her back home by one sharp." Soul promised, after regaining his composure. She'd worn her hair loose, something that had taken him off-guard. She looked fantastic, the dress hugging the curves of her body that she hid under shapeless clothes. He _knew_ she had a figure beneath that nerdy uniform of hers. "It's prom – don't tell me you didn't have some fun on your prom night?"

"Well, yes, but that's beside the point – !"

"I'm graduating high school in a couple of days, papa." Maka interrupted his tirade, smiling at him. "I'm going to be eighteen in a few months. You can't keep coddling me like this…"

"You're gonna' have to let her go, man." Soul summed up flatly, extending his hand toward Maka. "You ready?" He asked with his trademark sharp grin. She nodded brightly, taking his hand and allowing him to lead her out of the apartment.

"CALL ME IF ANYTHING HAPPENS!" Spirit shouted before they left, desperately. But he smiled in resignation when Maka shot him a nasty look over her shoulder. "And have fun, Maka." He added, wearily.

"At least he didn't come after me this time." Maka muttered.

"That would've been fun, then we could've made it seem like we ran away." Soul replied, amused. "And there's our ride."

"You can't be serious." Maka exclaimed in disbelief.

"Oh, I'm _completely_ serious." Soul drawled, patting the hood of the dealer-new Ford Mustang fondly. It was bright red with two black lines going down the car, giving it a stylish flare. Maka honestly shouldn't have been so surprised: Kim hadn't been kidding when she'd said that she would date him for his money. She had forgotten, in all the drama and stress of the past few days, that Soul came from a wealthy and renowned family of musicians – all, of which, had earned their rightful title in the family with a particular instrument. Soul was close coming to earning his, having been accepted into the prestigious Julliard University not too long ago.

She remembered it had been the talk for a few good days, along with who Blair was going out with now and if Kilik was breaking up with his girlfriend or not.

But she wondered just what instrument he had mastered…

"I got her for my eighteenth birthday." Soul stated, proudly.

"Soul…"

"Yeah?"

"You wanna' know what _I_ got _my_ seventeenth birthday?" Maka began, crossing her arms over her chest. He nodded his head slowly. "A _book_."

His expression was composed for a total of two seconds before he cracked up. "Are you _serious?_"

"I'm completely serious." Maka quoted him smartly

"Well… _sucks_ for you then." He smirked. "Don't worry, I'll be sure to get you a book on how to be _cool_ like me for your eighteenth birthday."

"MAKA _CHOP!_"

* * *

><p>"You didn't have to hit me so hard," Soul whined as he parked the car in the lot behind their school. They could hear music pulse from within the gymnasium; see lights illuminate the sky for a moment before disappearing again. Couples walked inside the school, linked at the elbow, and security screened them further up ahead. It looked as if it would be a successful – and hopefully smooth – prom night after all.<p>

"You didn't stop laughing – I had to make you stop _somehow_." Maka flatly said, sliding out of the car. The seats were genuine leather, something she'd quietly marveled when she had pressed her hand against the headrest as she maneuvered her way inside the vehicle. The only complaint she had was the loud purr of the engine every time Soul accelerated, which reverberated within her chest and deafened her of any sound she could potentially hear outside.

"You'll give me brain damage one day." Soul grumped, holding out his hand to her. She took it after a moment. "Prom ends at midnight, right?"

"Mhm." Maka nodded, following him toward the security guards up ahead. "I want it to be ten already – that's when the bands set to play!" Maka pouted, going through the check easily enough. Soul was scanned twice, mainly because of the metal in his cufflinks, but let pass after he was cleared by one of the guards.

"You booked a pretty good band, for someone who likes listening to techno."

"I told you already, it's _not_ techno!" Maka insisted, Soul leading the way to the gymnasium where everything was being held. "It's Drum and Bass, get it right!"

"Same thing – it's all synthesized sound." Soul drawled, grinning when she narrowed her eyes. She crushed his fingers in her hand, smug when he hissed and tried to yank his hand from hers.

"Jesus, woman." Soul groaned, rubbing his sore joints. "You have a strong grip!"

"Don't underestimate, Soul." Maka warned, almost coyly. She held out her hand for him this time. "I can make you hurt without even trying."

"I bet." He muttered, taking her hand and thankfully not having it crush his.

"_Oooh_! Here I thought widdle Soul was goin' to prom _all_ _lonesome!_" Patty Thompson cooed mischievously, startling them both when she popped her head between them.

Soul gripped Maka's hand when she tried to take it back. "I never said that. You guys never asked me who I was planning to take. Why should I have to tell you, anyway? You'd spread that shit around the school before I even got to asking." Soul added, scathingly.

Patty pouted. "We did so wanna' know! And we wouldn't have if you told us not to!" She giggled, looking like she _would_ have spread it like Soul had predicated.

"Then _ask_ next time – where's Liz, anyway?" Soul asked, deflecting any more questions swiftly.

"She's looking for _Kiddo!_" Patty exclaimed, sing-song. Then she added in a hushed tone: "But he's not here right now so sissy's _really_ angry!"

"What? Kid isn't here? He's supposed to overlook the band! He _has _to be here!" Maka exclaimed. She bit her lip in thought and then looked up again: "He's probably hiding in Stein's class, that jerk!"

"Stein's class?" Patty perked up, whipping out her cellphone from between her breasts. Soul pinched the bridge of his nose when a passing boy nearly crashed into someone, having seen her do it. "I'll call sissy right now and tell her!"

"You do that..." Soul swiftly took Maka out of her range, leading her deeper into the throng of happy partygoers by the small of her back. "She talks a lot – trust me, you'll find yourself wanting to leave after two minutes of hearing her ramble about giraffes," Soul whispered into her ear when he caught her frown.

"It was still rude."

"She probably doesn't remember anymore." Soul muttered.

Maka tensed when she felt his fingers comb through her hair, his palm resting on the back of her neck. The heat within the room was already bothersome but that single action had blood rushing to her face at a seconds notice. She found herself tongue tied when he leaned down and said, voice almost touching a purr: "You wore your hair down. You look great with your hair down, Maka, why do you wear it in pigtails so much?"

"M…my mom always styled it that way." Maka mumbled. There was a flurry of movement all around her, all overlooked by her. The crowd shifted and swayed to the beats the DJ belted out but she was only focused on how hot his hand felt on her skin. "I guess I just got used to it…"

"They do make you look cute." Soul mused, running his fingers through her hair again. She felt him pull her against him, his fingertips brushing the slope of her soft neck. "But long hair is always a _win _in my book." He charmed, brushing his lips against the tender skin of her neck.

Harder to _breathe_, Maka found herself swallowing_. So much_ harder to breathe: the bodice felt like it was squeezing her too tight every time he allowed his mouth to feather the rim of her ear. She could spot his teasing from miles away and he was no doubt being a tease by leaving her so strung up, removing his mouth from her neck before she grew too heated.

He was good, Maka thought sourly.

He was _dangerous_, like Kid had said…

"We should probably get a table before they're all taken." Soul suggested, leading her knee-weakened form toward a table near the stage that held two vacancies. It wasn't long before Black Star dropped by, Tsubaki following meekly behind, and Patty reappeared bearing an even wider smile as she happily informed them that her sister had found Kid just where Maka had said he'd be.

"So…why's the Student Counsel dork sitting in our table again?" Black Star asked without missing a beat.

"She's Soul's date! Teehee!" Patty giggled.

"No way! You actually asked him out?" Black Star leered at Maka.

"Actually, _he_ asked _me_ out." Maka scowled.

"WHOA! SOUL ASKED MAKA TO PROM?" Black Star screeched for all to hear, a few heads snapping in their direction.

"You moron – shut up! Yes, I asked her out!" Soul hissed, scathingly. "What about it?"

Black Star instantly calmed, shrugging coolly. "Oh, nothing, man. Just a little weird, that's all. Didn't think girls like her were your type….or did I?" He waggled his brows suggestively at her, Tsubaki quietly telling Maka to ignore him; he'd had a few too many energy drinks that evening.

"Moron." Maka sighed under her breath.

Tsubaki giggled.

While Soul and Black Star discussed something related to cars, Maka caught a glimpse of Ox in the distance. He had, after all, brought that Anne girl to the dance; her flaming red hair curled into ringlets that fell down her shoulders gorgeously. Maka was rather surprised to find one very lonesome Kim standing bitterly by the snack table with another one of her friends, staring at Ox through angry eyes before looking away.

Then she looked at her.

Maka visibly stiffened when Kim's mouth formed a shocked 'o', as her eyes went from her to Soul rapidly. Soul must've noticed her sudden rigidness because he looked over at her, tugging their linked hands as a silent gesture to tell him what was wrong. She sent him a weak smile, looking back to Kim and finding her outraged eyes on her again when she realized they were holding hands.

She would be taking out her rage on her tonight, Maka thought miserably, because she had been so _sure _that Soul would not reject her if she asked him to prom. And Kim had also confided in her. Maka had no doubt she was conceiving some sort of back-stabbing tale in her mind, the longer Kim glowered in her direction.

"She looks really mad," was all Maka said, allowing Soul look himself and make his own assumptions.

"What's she so mad about? I told her I was interested in someone else."

"That's the problem." Maka cleared her throat. "She told me a few things I couldn't tell anyone else. I haven't, but she doesn't know that. One of them involved you."

"What was it?" He asked, voice lowered so that only she could hear.

"I can't tell you." Maka sighed. "I promised I wouldn't tell anyone."

"Okay. So if you haven't, then what's the problem?" Soul scowled, not seeing what she was so wound up about.

"I told you already!" Maka hissed. She looked back at Kim and instantly looked away from her scorned eyes. "_She doesn't know that!"_

The lights suddenly came on, as Kid announced the serving of dinner from the center of the stage. His suit was snow white, primp and clean. His hair was not slicked back but left to its own devices; the three stripes that had once caused him near-physical pain standing stark against the rest of his hair. Maka was a little relieved he had come to accept the stripes as apart of him: she had quit helping him get over his fits of symmetry after the sixth breakdown in three days.

"Mind if we sit here?" Liz asked sweetly a few minutes later, her elbow linked within Kid's. Maka couldn't help but notice that Liz looked especially lovely that evening: with a curve-hugging halter dress that ran down her legs, a slit running up the side to give glimpse to her long legs.

"Go ahead." Soul said, easily enough. But his fingers tightened around hers.

"So, _Soul_, you never told me you actually had a date." Liz began, casually. She reached over the table toward Maka, the sparkly bangles on her wrist catching the light. "My name's Liz, by the way."

"Maka." Maka introduced herself, shaking her hand. "Nice to meet you, Liz."

Liz smiled after sizing her up, sitting back down. "She's so sweet – I'm surprised you even managed to ask her out, punk."

"Why would you say that?" Soul gruffed, knowing what came next.

"Well, after _Blair_—!"

"It was all Black Star's fault and you know it!" Soul snapped warningly, confusing both Kid and Maka.

"What was my fault now?" Black Star hollered from across the table, his voice losing its strength when the DJ turned up the volume on the current track.

"The fact that that slut became his girlfriend." Liz cracked up at Soul's broody sigh.

"What is she talking about, Soul?" Maka ventured.

"Remember Blair, my ex-girlfriend?" Maka nodded slowly at that. "Black Star was the one who told Blair I wanted to go out with her. It was all _his_ fault." Soul seethed. Black Star laughed when he realized what they were talking about. "She looked like she was about to cry when I told her it had all been a misunderstanding… making girls cry isn't cool." He mumbled darkly.

"But the instant she hooked up with that other guy a few days later." Liz made a throat-slicing gesture. "She was gonna' pay. No one cheats on our Soul and gets away with it. You should've seen how much she cried when we caught her after school – _completely_ worth getting suspended for a whole week!" Liz tossed her long, blonde, hair over her shoulder gracefully; Patty laughing raucously by her side.

Maka instantly looked at Kid in triumph only to find him scowling heavily at his silverware.

"And… the same goes for you, Maka." Liz suddenly said, diverting her attention. She leaned over the table, pointing a manicured nail at Soul. "With someone _this_ hot, you only get one shot."

Maka gawked and felt her face steadily color at her leering grin.

"Shut up, Liz!" Soul snapped, resting his cheek in his palm grumpily. "I trust her enough not to do that …"

"Aww, that's so sweet!" Liz cooed mockingly, laughing when he growled in warning. "You trust her already! Isn't that sweet, Patty?"

"Sweeter than pineapple melon cake!" Patty burst out laughing at Soul's dirty look.

As they fought, Maka was left to her stunned silence.

That little sentenced meant _the world _to Maka. It meant more than he'd ever know, as she stared at him in quiet awe. Her eyes shifted to Kid, finding him staring at her with disbelief.

_How could you believe that bullshit?_ His expression seemed to read.

_Because I trust him, too. _She scowled back, ignoring him and smiling politely at the waiter who arrived with their dinner.

* * *

><p>Kim was angry.<p>

Maka could feel her eyes burn holes in the back of her head, as Soul stood beside her near the front of the stage. She tried to focus on the singer who shouted into the microphone for their cheers, the guitar and drums loud enough to drown most of her anxious thoughts.

But that didn't mean they could block the unease that crept into her heart.

It went on like this until the stroke of midnight – Maka sneaking glances at Kim, Kim glaring holes ahead; sometimes meeting her eyes – but that was when things took a turn for the better. Ox, who had also been sneaking looks at Kim, managed to shake off his prom date and awkwardly ask Kim to the last dance of the night. Technically it was the most important dance of the night, which was why Maka felt sympathetic when she noticed Anne standing toward the side sadly. Simultaneously, however, it came as something to a relief to Maka, as that meant Kim would forget the majority of her scorn towards her and perhaps even allow her to enjoy the rest of the night in peace.

"Wanna' dance?" Soul coughed, having caught her gazing at the other couples. He didn't particularly enjoy dancing – mainly because his parents always forced him to they attended galas – but he wasn't as pigheaded as to not ask her out because of his own grudge.

"Well... no!" Maka shook her head fervently. She stole a glance back at the couples, somewhat forlorn. "That's okay!"

"How come?" Soul ventured, suspiciously.

"I, well… I can't waltz." Maka admitted, looking down meekly.

"That's it?" He chuckled. Maka looked up, on the verge of telling him off. He took her hand and led her to the dance floor, ignoring her sputtering. "Don't worry about it then." Soul positioned her hand on his shoulder, reaching for her cinched waist with his other hand. "I'll lead…but you're gonna' have to get closer, Maka." He yanked her to his chest, relishing the steadily spreading red across her cheeks. "You can't waltz standing all the way over there."

"L…like this?"

"Yeah. Now you're getting it." Soul drawled, leading her closer to the other couples. "Now you just move your foot over here… just copy me." Soul instructed. "Like that. Yeah, see? You're waltzing!"

Maka laughed happily. "I am! I didn't think I'd ever learn how to…" Maka graced him with a bright beam, which made his smile soften. "Thanks, Soul!"

"No prob." He cleared his throat, looking away before he could say something stupid.

"They have such _great_ chemistry between them!" Liz squealed, watching Soul lead Maka deeper within the crowd of swaying couples. She had never seen him so nervous before a single girl before. It made the romantic in Liz simply go berserk with ideas. "Right, Kid?"

"Yes." Kid replied, evenly. "They do."

Liz's excitement faltered at his flat tone. She looked down at herself, the dress that hugged her curves and the heels that brought out the strength in her calves and firmed her butt. Her hair had been straightened until it was smooth like silk and she had taken painstaking effort in applying her make up for this big day. She had even made sure to look symmetrical on either side, knowing too-well of his obsession for balance.

Yet Kid did not look her way.

It made her hurt, because his eyes always strayed back to Maka, and it made her angry as well. But it was stupid to pin this all on Maka, no matter how much she wanted to. She'd caught wind of their conversation in the hall in her search for Kid earlier that Thursday. When Soul had cut in, she'd promptly retreated; rather stunned by what she had heard in that short amount of time.

But she had shook it off and only steeled her resolve.

She thought that maybe she could sway Kid if she dressed prettily enough.

Yet Kid remained unmoved. It made her wonder if he'd killed his hormones with all that knowledge – nearly every male in the room gave her body a quick run down. She'd always been beautiful…so _why_ wasn't he looking at her? What didn't she have that – dare she say it – that bookworm didn't have? Was it being book-smart? Was it the pigtails, the conservative wear, having a freakin' _clean_ record?

"You wanna' take me out to dance, Kid?" Liz flirtatiously asked, resisting a scowl when Kid looked at her for a few seconds before nodding.

"Yes, if you'd like."

Liz withheld a frustrated sigh but took his hand when he offered, walking with him through the crowd. As she placed her hand on his shoulder, she saw Blair up ahead chatting up one of the guys. She was surprised to find it was Kilik, with his date nowhere to be found. Liz made a mental note to check up on him after she had finished dancing with Kid.

Kid seemed lost in thought as he danced with her; as if contemplating something the entire time. He looked up from the floor, allowed his cool gaze to fix on her own. Pliable, golden, eyes; ringed with darker shades of the molten color. It was the single most intimate moment in Liz's life, despite having been shed of whatever virginity she had come into the world with a long time ago.

"S…something wrong, Kid?" Liz asked, clearing her throat so it didn't sound as breathy.

His brow creased. "…Yes. Perhaps you may be able to help me solve this dilemma."

Liz managed to shake off some of her nerves enough to nod, focusing her full attention on what he had to say.

"I love Maka." He bluntly said. Liz felt her heart clench at the single statement; tear up and burst into flames. "But I don't… _love her_."

Liz blinked rapidly, pausing mid-way stomping on her heart. "Wait, what?"

"I love Maka – I know I do. She's like the sister I've never had, a person I trust wholly, but…" Kid looked sidelong, to where Soul and Maka danced closely, in conflict. "It doesn't feel… like it should feel. Or what I believe it should feel, from the books I've read. What is love to you, Liz?" He suddenly asked, looking down at her.

"Love? To me?" She repeated, collecting her thoughts. "I-I don't know how to answer that, Kid. Love means a lot of things to different people. But… answer me this." Liz regained her usual spunk. "You wanna' kiss her?"

"No."

"Do stuff to her?"

Kid wrinkled his nose at the implication. "…No."

"Then you're not in 'that' type of love!" Liz grinned. She sobered soon after. "But… is that the reason you don't like Soul? Are you… jealous of him?"

"Jealous? Envious, you mean? No. I'm not." Kid shook his head. "I just honestly think he's a _terrible_ match for her! Look at the way he dresses – his symmetry is simply _awful_! Someone as asymmetrical and – and _horrible _as him has no future with Maka!" Kid exclaimed, self-righteously. "He'll _ruin_ her perfect symmetry! He... he's an isosceles triangle compared to her_ square perfection!_"

Liz burst out in laughter after a few seconds, her forehead bumping with his chest. Kid was surprised but did not move from the contact; allowing her to exhaust her amusement as his grave statement.

"Kid, you have _a lot_ to learn about love." Liz giggled, looking up again. He stared this time. "Love doesn't discriminate. It just _happens_."

"…Does it, now?" Kid murmured, tearing his gaze from her twinkling eyes quickly. His face felt hot. "Love is certainly strange then."

"Yep." Liz smiled, just as the dance was concluded. Her eyes sought for Soul and Maka and she was amused to see them jerk away from each other the instant they realized the dance around them had stopped. They'd been awfully close – she could only wonder what had been interrupted.

But as Liz discussed with Kid what they would do after prom – what people would come with them, where they would go, what time they'd leave home – she was astonished to hear, "aaaand Prom King and Queen belong to: _Soul Evans and Kim Diehl!_" be announced by the lead singer of the band, paper in his hand as he clapped along with the crowd.

"Wait a second, Soul was one of the nominees?" Liz asked Kid, voice hushed.

"The school had the option of casting their own vote – if his name appeared frequently enough, then even if he didn't apply for prom king, he'd still qualify." Kid explained, eyes trained on Soul

The shock on his face, as he stood next to Maka, gave Kid the idea that he hadn't even bothered to sign up for prom king; it'd just happened. Soul looked down at Maka, as if to have her tell him what to do, and slowly made his way up stage when she gave him a gentle push. Kim also walked up on stage, with more swagger and more flourish than Soul, and took the bouquet of flowers and crown while Soul snatched his from the lead singer and held it in his hand; not about to compromise his coolness by wearing a stupid, metal, crown.

"You look surprised." Kim told Soul when she saw him.

"I didn't think I'd win, especially since I didn't sign up for this." Soul replied, managing to sound bored. "Guess I'm cooler than I thought I was."

"_Of course_ you are!" Kim giggled, flirtatiously. "You're the coolest guy in this school, Soul!"

Soul didn't respond, frowning down at the metal crown in his hand.

"Alright, King and Queen! Picture time—hey, hey, where you goin'?" The photographer sputtered when Soul wandered off the stage. "We need to take photos of the King and Queen!"

"Oh." Soul turned, smirking. "Do it then. C'mon, I'm busy."

He snapped the picture, still gaping. "T-together now!"

"No thanks, you got your picture." Soul waved off, walking down the steps already.

"Oh, no you don't! Soul Evans, you get back here and take a picture with me!" Kim screeched, hands on her hips. "SOUL EVANS!"

"Don't call me that!" Soul snapped over his shoulder but did not stop. "Ma—hey, what the hell?" Soul sputtered when Maka pushed him back up the steps. "Maka—!"

"You're taking that photo, Soul!" Maka demanded.

"I don't want to – do you know what they have the King and Queen _do _when they take the photo together?" Soul hissed, narrowing his eyes. He finally put his foot down and Maka stopped, unable to move him anymore. "Sorry, but I ain't doing _that_ with a cheerleader." He grimaced. "I might contract stupid."

"Just – just take the picture then!" Maka hastily urged, hoping Kim hadn't heard that. By the way she was muttering huffily to the photographer, she hadn't. "Maybe it'll get her off my back?" She added, hopefully.

He gave her a measured look before sighing and dragging himself up to stage again, the cheers and applause rising in volume again.

"Let's get this over with." Soul muttered darkly to Kim.

"About time!" Kim scoffed loftily, standing close to him.

The photographer looked relieved. "Alright…one…two…"

"Hey! Kiss her!" Some smart bastard yelled, starting up the chant of: "Kiss her! Kiss her! Kiss her!" from the entire crowd.

"Three!" The photographer took the picture, grinning at both. "You want to do a second round?" He was obviously hinting to what the crowd was chanting, the chant growing stronger the longer they stood there.

"Sure!" Kim chirped with venom when she caught Anne whispering something to Ox down below. "Why not? Soul?"

"Yeah, no thanks." Soul deadpanned, causing the crowd to break into a confused hush. "I only agreed to a picture. Later, Kim." And he jogged off the stage again, grabbing Maka by the arm and pushing her ahead. "Keep walking." Soul muttered, when the crowd boo'd and called him back on stage. "HEY! LIZ?"

"We're ready to go!" Liz grinned, waving him over from the side exit. "Man, you sure run fast when you want to. But it's a good thing, Kim missed you by a centimeter!"

"That would've blown." Soul groaned. "'Cause that would've messed up my cool when I told her to fuck off."

Liz tossed her head back in laughter, Tsubaki coming up behind her and smiling happily at both; congratulating Soul on his award and sending a sweet smile to Maka.

"Soul? Where are we going?" Maka whispered when she had his attention again. She glimpsed Kim from over his shoulder when she stood on her toes, catching her thinly pressed lips and narrowed eyes in their direction as her friends gathered around her. "Oh, good going, Soul! Now she's even _more_ mad at me!"

"Did you _really_ want me to kiss her?" Soul snapped down at her, silencing Maka instantly. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

Maka crossed her arms over her chest, lips pursed.

"You takin' your own ride?" Liz asked the moment they were in ear-shot again.

"Like I'm leaving that gorgeous thing out there unsupervised." Soul said, haughtily.

"After _me_, then." Liz grinned right back. Kid was already buckled in the passenger seat of his own car and waiting for Liz, fiddling with something on his cufflink, as Liz had hitched a ride in her sisters car.

"C'mon, get in, the real party starts now." Soul grinned deviously, leading her to the car.

"Soul, _where_ are we going?" Maka hissed, slamming the door beside her once she got in the car. Soul slid into the drivers seat, already starting the engine. She eyed his seat belt. He didn't look like he was even thinking about buckling it in. "Soul!"

"Relax, Maka, do you see Kid panicking?" Soul sighed, shifting into reverse. "No. So could you stop panicking? You'll see in a minute."

"I think Liz lied to Kid." Maka growled, watching his shoulders tense. "And we're not going where he thinks we're going. Kid is gullible in that sense. I'm not. So answer my question, Soul. I'm waiting."

Soul grinned, leaning sideways and deepening his voice; lips daring to brush her cheek. "Hard and commanding. That's sexy." While she sputtered and tried to recover her lost wits, Soul quickly shifted into drive and followed Liz out of the parking lot.

"Soul, you bastard, where are you taking me?" Maka snarled, not falling for one of his tricks again.

"Honestly?"

"_Yes_, honestly!"

"A club."

"A club—? You mean the club I made reservations at for the Seniors?" Maka elaborated, confused. It was a set-up to take place after prom. Many were planning on staying out late and the headmaster had agreed that having them in, at least, a safe location until they got their fill was better than having them running around with no place to go.

"I'm trying to figure that out right now..."

"You mean you don't _know?_" Maka gasped in horror.

"I will soon." Soul grinned, turning a corner sharply. Maka squeaked and barreled towards the door, the force of the turn throwing her back in place once Soul straightened. But she could feel the speed sink her back in her seat. "Huh. No, we're not going to the club you reserved."

"Then…where _are_ we going?" Maka asked in a smaller voice.

Soul glanced at her, the worried crease of her brow, and softened his tone. "Probably the one out by the city limits. I know some people who are going there after prom, too. Don't worry – I won't let you out of my sight." Soul promised when he saw she sunk deeper in her seat with troubled eyes. "You'll be fine."

"That's not what I'm worried about…"

"Then what is?"

Vaguely, he heard someone hoot, _"YAHHHOOOO!"_ from up ahead.

"_That_." Maka pointed ahead blandly, the car that was cutting off others in the lane. Soul caught sight of blue – recognized the high pony tail of the girl sitting in the passenger seat – and instantly knew who it was.

"Oh, you mean Black Star?" Soul said, watching his friend cut another car off rudely. That started up a honking rage that was only amplified when Black Star reached out of the window to flip him off with another thunder of laughter. "Yeah, he might be a problem."

She groaned and sunk into her seat, hoping nothing would go wrong as Soul drove them to that obscure club by the edge of town.

* * *

><p>It was <em>loud.<em>

Maka was quite sure that the club she'd reserved would not be as loud – nor shady – like the one Soul was walking her into. There was a swarm of people in the center, distorted by the strobe lights, and the thick smell of sweat, cigarette smoke, and a sickly sweet smell that reminded her of incense, was not making things any better for her. Maka then realized why Soul had ditched his blazer and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt: it also got very hot, very fast.

"You wanna' drink?" Soul shouted over the bass.

"Yeah!" Maka shouted back, gripping his hand as he led her to the bar. Maka looked sidelong to see Liz laughing and pulling Kid into the mass of partygoers. She laughed when Kid shook his head vigorously, choked up and panicked about where to put his hands when Liz sidled up against him seductively.

"Here," Soul whispered into her ear, pressing a glass into her hands. Maka jumped back from him, automatically taking a drink from her glass to hide her embarrassing flush. Soul pretended not to notice for the sake of convincing her to dance to _this _music.

"Is this… alcohol?" Maka asked, bewildered.

"No... it's a piña colada." Soul answered, slowly.

"Soul, does this have alcohol _in_ it?"

"Maybe a little." Soul admitted, drinking his own glass innocently.

"You're driving!" Maka hissed. "You can't be drinking!"

"I'm not." Soul scoffed, handing her his glass. Maka took it skeptically and was surprised to find it was plain soda. "Yours is, though. Loosen up, Maka, it's just _one_ drink. It's not like you're gonna' get wasted or anything. Your dad would kill me and I'd really like to live until my nineteenth birthday – maybe I'll get a grand piano then. And you can get _two_ books this time."

After whacking him on the head and taking a dainty sip of her glass, ignoring his pained moans, Maka said: "Piano… is that what you play, Soul?"

"Yeah." He grunted. "What of it?"

"It must be nice, that's all." Maka looked down at her drink. Kid had once teasingly told her that she would need _a lot_ of practice in reading music when they'd taken instruments class together. He'd also said never to pick up a trumpet again unless she wanted to raise Hell on earth. "To know how to create something so beautiful with just your hands."

Soul faltered, sinking into a slouch. "Don't get your hopes up, it isn't that great."

"But you got accepted into Julliard." Maka protested, looking up at him. His bleached hair caught all of the lights that flashed in the club, dying it with very cycle. "That means you have superior skill."

"I got accepted because I'm an Evans. It's more for appearances sake than because I actually _have_ talent. My parents are good friends with the guy who graded my audition." Soul snorted, derisively. "Like I said, I'm not that great. Pretty bad, if you asked me."

"You're your own harsh critic." Maka softly said. She finished her drink and placed the empty glass behind her on the bar table. She smiled at him. "I'm sure you're great, Soul. I may not have heard it but… you look like the type to pour your entire soul into a song!"

Soul picked at a seam inside his pocket, mumbling out: "You're so weird…" but smiling wearily at her faith in him. They spent at least two hours and a half standing by the bar table, taking in the club scene contently and talking about things that didn't really matter – like how he loved raw fish and she gagged at the thought or how she liked martial arts and Soul preferred the good old way to beating the shit out of someone: pure fists and blind rage.

"Maka-_chan!_" Tsubaki cheerfully called, taking her wrist. Her cheeks were flushed, smile rather ditzy as she pulled her into the mass of dancing clubbers. "You've been standing here all this time! Come dance with me!"

"But – but, Soul – !" Maka tossed him one apologetic glance before being pulled along into the crowd, rather uncertain on her feet. Just how many drinks had she had? Maka vaguely remembered having three more glasses of that fruity drink…

It was so _hot_, crushed amongst everyone with the bass vibrating with her every breath. Tsubaki giggled uncontrollably and stumbled into Maka, her breath smelling of something distinctly alcoholic. Her arms wrapped around her neck, twirling her as her body swayed with the music. The strobe lights were blinding, enough so that Maka had trouble keeping up with Tsubaki and the quick tempo of the club edit. But that might have been because she'd gone over her limit with that deceptive drink Soul had introduced.

When she felt Tsubaki grind into her from behind did Maka understand why Kid freaked out so much. It was so weird, to dance so intimately with a girl, but she loosened up when Tsubaki shouted _I haven't danced like this since Liz forced me to! _into her ear with sheepish laughter.

Sweat running down the back of her neck, a rosy hue adorning her cheeks, Maka took up Soul's advice and let loose; swearing at one point that Tsubaki had moaned against her. But she couldn't be sure – the music was loud, her heartbeat louder, and her heels were starting to really ache on her feet. Tsubaki was also beginning to grow bold behind her with the way her hands gripped her hips, her chest rubbing against hers.

Maka caught sight of white and caught glimpses of Soul whispering something to Black Star, pointing in their general direction. As if deciding on something, both boys began to battle their way through the throng of wild dancing. Black Star, Maka noticed with mild amusement, looked annoyed as Tsubaki and she grinded their hips together to the tropical beat of the song.

Tsubaki giggled into ear, fingers teasingly sliding down to cup her ass. "_Maka-chaan_," she whispered into her ear provocatively.

"Tsubaki?" Maka said back, tensing when she felt the girl run a hand down her thigh. "What are you doing—?" She felt hands slip underneath her arms and pull her away from Tsubaki's panting mouth, Black Star doing the same only with a more possessive snatch.

"Damn, Maka, calm down." Soul chuckled awkwardly, feeling that itchy feeling in his nose when he was about to get a nose bleed. Thankfully, the blood stayed in his body and not down his suit. "You and Tsubaki looked about ready to, uh…"

"To what? We were just _dancing_, Soul." Maka rolled her eyes.

"Tsubaki gets really crazy when she drinks: she would've tried something if you kept dancing like that." Soul dryly said, dropping his hand lazily to her hip. The edit switched to something less exotic and more electronic. Maka squealed something about this being her favorite song, instantly forgetting about the pain in her heels for it. "Are you serious? You're gonna' shuffle in _heels?_" Soul snorted in laughter, mimicking her, however. "My feet are gonna' hurt after this."

"Mine are, too!" Maka laughed, making her way further into the club. Bodies bumped into her, the heat becoming almost oppressive, but she couldn't deny she was actually having fun. "You're not that bad!"

Soul smirked, "I should be saying that to you – never thought you knew how to shuffle, Maka, then again, you listen to this lame music all the time."

Maka slide close to him, slamming her heel into his shoe and watching him leap into the air with a howl of pain. Some of the clubbers nearby gave a hoot of approval, clapping their hands as they broke into another cycle. Soul shot Maka a dirty look, the girl grinning and innocently continuing her harmless dancing.

Maka laughed when Soul came up behind her, following his lead as he moved behind her and muttered something about getting her back for that. It was definitely less of a heady atmosphere, more of a playful one, than it had been with Tsubaki. Perhaps Tsubaki _had _been taking their dancing the wrong way, Maka thought with a shake of her head, giggling when Soul took her hands and splayed them with his own, spreading her arms out with his.

His hand was so much bigger than hers, Maka noticed, she felt tiny compared to him.

"Hey, wanna' ditch this place and go somewhere else?" Soul asked, huskily.

"Wh-what?" She choked.

"I meant the school, genius." Soul scoffed, catching on. His lip curled deviously. "But if you wanna' go to my place, I'm in no position to deny you that. You'd _definitely_ have the time of your life there," he purred, his suave line breaking into pieces when Maka huffily shoved her heel back down on his foot.

"Goddamnit, woman!" Soul snapped, shaking out his pained foot. "I think you broke a toe that time…"

"Suck it up." Maka flatly said. "Where else did you have in mind? The school is closed by now, Soul." Maka pointed out, taking his grumpily outstretched hand. As he parted the crowd and kept her close behind him, Maka caught sight of a seemingly sober Tsubaki trying to get Black Star off the bar table. She caught sight of Liz's blonde sheen of hair and realized Kid and her had ended up talking by the side; glasses in hand, seemingly engrossed in their own conversation.

"What about the others?" Maka asked, gasping when someone jostled her roughly to the side. Soul noticed and slowed, pulling her in front of him instead. "Soul?"

"They're not gonna' leave until this club closes at dawn. It's almost time, anyway." Soul checked his wrist watch. "It's gonna' be five."

"In the morning?" Maka gaped.

Soul smirked. "Yep."

Her ears rang when they exited the sweltering inside of the club and walked over to his car. Maka rubbed them out in vain, trying to regain the hearing that had been lost by the loud beats. But being inside his car, where silence was welcomed, felt nicer than being inside a noisy, crowded, place.

"Wow, it was really hot in there." Maka frowned, fanning herself.

"No kidding." Soul loosened his tie, tossing it to the backseat. He'd removed his blazer before they entered the club but it hadn't helped as the dress shirt was stuffy enough. He unbuttoned a few buttons on his shirt, lowering the window to allow some fresh air to ventilate through the car.

Maka dropped her eyes down to her lap when she caught herself staring at him. She thought back to what Liz had told her in a tease, _when he's this hot, you only get one shot, _and felt those butterflies fester in her gut again. Just what was she doing? Did Kid honestly have a reason to fear her growing attached him...?

"You alright? You're really quiet." Soul spoke up after a few more seconds.

"Oh, yeah. Just tired." Maka answered with a weak smile.

"Don't pass out on me yet, Maka, we're not done with the night." Soul grinned, turning on his car and hoping the loud rumble of the engine would wake her up. Thankfully, it did, because Maka winced and plugged her ears to keep the engine from further damaging her already muffled hearing.

"Why does this car have to be so _loud?_"

"So everyone can see how cool it is!" Soul shouted over the engine, driving out of the parking lot. Maka reached down to touch her achy feet, rubbing her fingertips on her ankle and promising herself she'd _never_ attempt shuffling in heels again.

"Told you dancing in heels isn't smart."

"Oh, shut up. You did it with your shoes."

"But these are flat."

"Yeah, but the sole must be painful."

"You're right: my soul _does_ hurt every time I'm forced to listen to such awful music." Soul cheeked, laughing when she reached over to smack him for his jab at electronica. By the time they'd arrived, still bickering over the club edits, the school was dark and silent; all the festivities put to an official close. The school would be cleaned up throughout the day until everything was as clean as it had been before they remodeled it for prom.

He parked close by, helping her out of the car as she grumbled about her legs being sore when she finally woke up. It was so lonely, at four in the morning, that Maka had the brief thought of going out at night and wandering the streets. It was simply so peaceful but she remembered that walking alone down deserted streets wasn't the smartest thing a girl like her could do.

She made a note to mention this to Soul. Hopefully, he wouldn't mind staying up with her one day during their vacation…

"Soul, are you serious about this? There's no way we can enter the school without a key!" Maka whispered, holding back a laugh when Soul shot her a devilish grin and pointed to the fence.

"Can you jump over it or do I have to pick the lock for you, princess?" He drawled but stopped when he saw her begin to climb the fence with a haughty huff. She leaped it, landing on her haunches perfectly despite the pain he knew she should be feeling from wearing heels for so long.

"You comin' or what?" Maka crossed her arms smugly at his slack jaw.

He chuckled, jumping over the fence as well. Once he stood, safely on the other side, he took her hand again and pulled her to one of the doors down by the main building. There, Maka watched quietly as he pushed open the door effortlessly.

"It's not locked?" Maka exclaimed, surprised.

"It's _never_ locked." Soul said. "'Star broke the lock a while ago. Guess they never bothered to fix it, but ever since I've used it to get inside and sit on the roof."

"Is that where we're going?" Maka asked, climbing the steps. She caught his nod and did not resist when they climbed the extra set of stairs that led to the rooftop. These doors were locked, with a chain for extra reinforcement. But Soul picked that lock effortlessly and reached up to the side and tampered with something on the alarm. When he pushed the door open, nothing sounded - she had expected from someone with years of mischief under his belt.

"Alarms down." Soul grinned. "C'mon."

She could see the entire city from here! Maka slowly made her way to the edge, leaning over it slightly. She saw a steep fall, the stairwell seeming to go on for miles. She felt his finger hook behind the belt of her dress, pulling her back some.

"Over here." Soul softly said, motioning to the ledge behind them. She watched him hop up and let his legs dangle over the edge, glancing at her expectantly. She hesitantly copied him, relaxing when she saw there was a place to rest her feet on. "Look over there." Soul spoke up, watching her eyes light up when they rested on the sunrise.

"Wow, it's so beautiful from up here, Soul!" Maka breathed, green eyes twinkling with glee. It was a mere strip of orange in the horizon, the black fading away to a washed out blue. It was cold up here as well but Maka hardly felt the chill; still high from the early dawn events. "Do you come here often?" Maka asked, tearing her eyes from the blooming sunrise.

"Yeah." He replied, simply. He leaned back a little, enjoying the breeze that blew from down below. "It's a good place to think."

"About what?"

His smile was faint. "Stuff."

Maka was tempted to ask for more but decided, upon catching his plaintive expression, to leave it as it was. There was no need to pry into his private life – there were certainly things she'd rather not say until the time was right. When she looked back at the sunrise, she saw a slice of the sun, a burning orange, beginning to rise from over the hills.

Steadily, she felt fatigue set in. She watched the sun rise with a faint smile dancing on her lips, the cold breeze a comfort on her aching feet. When she nodded off the first time, she felt him gently grab her shoulder and pull her towards him. She didn't fight it, slumping against his side drowsily.

"It's gonna' be six." Soul whispered as she drowsed off.

"Still too early." Maka mumbled, more than a little asleep. His rumbling chuckles only lulled her further to sleep. Once Soul was sure Maka had finally fallen asleep on him, he carefully got off the ledge and pulled her into his arms, heading out of the roof door and downstairs to his car.

She hardly roused, despite all of the movement when he picked the back gate lock, and she didn't even groan when he turned on his car and the engine growled to life. She just curled up in the back seat, his blazer tossed over her to keep her warm. When he finally arrived to her home, he didn't worry about making too much noise because she was out like a light; finally exhausted by the nights events.

He had just closed the door to his car door when he heard someone clear his throat from behind him.

"Hey, you're up early, old man." Soul easily greeted a disgruntled, sleep-deprived, Spirit.

"It's six am, Evans." He deadpanned.

"She had the time of her life, though." Soul said convincingly, walking over to him.

"We'll see about that later, when I ask her just what happened." Spirit extended his arms, loftily. "_I'll_ be the one to take her back to her room, if you don't mind!"

Soul rose a brow but complied, starting to hand her off to him. However, to his great amusement and Spirit's dismay, Maka groaned when she heard her papa's soft coos. She cracked an eye open and groaned louder, wrapping her arms tightly around Soul's neck.

"_Nnng_, _no_, _Soul_…" Maka whimpered, kicking away from her father.

"You heard her." Soul smugly grinned.

"You did something to her!" Spirit accused, shaking a fist at him. "Maka would never deny her papa!"

"Yes, I would…" She mumbled, burying her face in Soul's neck. He smelled nice; he always did. She'd always catch a whiff of his cologne whenever she leaned over his desk to explain a math problem to him. "Jus' let Soul carry me inside, papa…"

"Well?" Soul drawled as Spirit steamed. "Or would you rather I take her back to my place for the day?" He grinned when Spirit's face paled several shades and he scrambled out of the way, only too happy to allow him inside of the complex now.

Maka's room was rather simple, something he appreciated: with a bookcase pushed alongside one wall and a desk on the other. Her bed was comprised of soft pink sheets, two pillows encased in light purple, and a few stuffed animals decorating it. Her walls, however, were decorated with sceneries from all over the world; seemingly taken by camera, as Soul saw one holding a laughing woman who looked strikingly similar to Maka with her bright emerald eyes and killer smile.

"Soul...?" Maka mumbled sleepily when he finally placed her in bed.

"Hey, go back to sleep." Soul whispered, kneeling. He heard the door creak the slightest bit but he ignored it. Her father was too nosy sometimes. "It's too early for you to be up right now." He humored, bringing a drowsy smile to her lips. "Night, pigtails."

"Wait…" Maka mumbled, gesturing him back down. He obliged but he was stunned still when she placed a hand on his shoulder and kissed his cheek, her lips lingering. "Thanks. I had…a great time." She yawned, gazing up at him contently.

"I'll get you back for that," was all he said, grinning.

"I'll hold you up to it." She replied, with a warm but tired smile of her own.

When Soul pulled the door open, he was surprised to find her father standing by the living room archway; arms crossed over his chest, no-nonsense.

"She's safe and sound in her room. Happy, old man?" Soul rolled his eyes, stifling a yawn of his own. "Can I go now? You can yell at me later, when I'm awake enough to give a damn."

"Hold up one second, Soul Evans." Spirit demanded, before the boy could leave. Soul decided to humor him, pivoting on his heel and gracing him with a flat expression. Spirit heaved a tired sigh, having only slept for a few hours that night; uncomfortable knowing his daughter was out there with a hooligan at the ungodly hours of the night. "Just what do you plan on doing with my daughter?"

"I don't follow." Soul replied, narrowing his eyes. Sleep was temporarily put aside.

"You took her to prom. Gave her the time of her life." Spirit summed up, flatly. "What's next? You gonna' be back here saying you're taking her on a date? Gonna' show her the time of her life_ then, _too?" Spirit sneered.

"Not like that I won't." Soul replied, annoyed. "Look, I don't know just who the hell you think I am, but I'd never hurt Maka. I wouldn't force her to do something she doesn't want to, I wouldn't take advantage of her or her kindness, and I would never put her in any danger. Believe it or not, _I'm_ the good guy here." Soul met his gaze evenly. "And if I want to pursue a relationship with her… what're you gonna' do to stop me?"

"…Nothing." Spirit sighed, resignedly. "Not if she wants to; she'll find a way to be with you...I just have to make sure I'm placing her in the right hands. She's my baby, y'know, my daughter. When you have one of your own, you'll understand."

"Maybe." Soul answered with a lopsided smile. "But she's got enough bite to back up her bark, and I think that's enough. She'll be fine in whatever she decides to do with her life from hereon out."

Spirit nodded, reluctantly. When he looked up, his smile was a little more genuine. "Just remember: you hurt her, I tear your spine out from your throat. Clear?"

Soul _did_ grin that time. "Clear as crystal, sir."

"Get outta' here! Aren't your parents expecting you back or something?"

"Oh, _yeah!_" Soul laughed, sauntering out the door. "I'm gettin' it when I get home, but it was so worth it!"

Spirit locked the door behind Soul, shaking his head as he heard the car start up and drive away; its growl fading along with his laughter.

Just _what_ had he done by giving him permission to date his daughter? Spirit wondered this as he dragged himself back to his bedroom for another four hours of sleep.


End file.
